Vehicle head lamp



Patented June 19, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,674,012 PATENT CHRISTIAN n. aonmive, or commen s, OHIO, ASSIGNOR 1 was Jenn w. BROWN MFG.

v i 00., or COLUMBUS, orrro, a CORPORATION or 01110.

VEHICLE HEAD LAMP.

Application filed March 10, 1927. Serial in. 174,335.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle head lamps, and more particularly to an improved adjustable mounting for the rec'eption of incandescent lamps, the primary object of the invention being to provide a lamp mounting or suppoit so constructed as to permit of the adjustment of the incandescent lamp axially with respect to the principal axis of an associated lamp reflector and, in addition, an adjustment in a perpendicular plane to said first named plane of adjustment, whereby through the compound adjustment provided a better focal relationship can be established between the filament of the lamp and the reflecting sur- :fac'e, securing improved distribution of the light projected from the lamp. p Another object of the invention resides in the provision of an adjustable mounting of the character set forth, and one wherein the actuating devices for effecting the adjustnient are disposed in the rear of the lamp casing but accessible exteriorly of said casing in order th'at the adjustment of the mounting may be conveniently accomplished without removing any of the lamp parts to reach interior members. I

A further object. residesin a mounting of simple and inexpensive construction and N of such form as to avoid or minimize accidental loss of adjustment.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts hereinafter to be described and pointed out in the appended claims. 3 t

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle headlamp, part of the lamp being broken away and shown in section in order to disclose the interior structure, a

Figure 2 is a plan view of the adjustable lamp mounting,

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical seetiona View on the line 3'3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a similar view on the line of Figure 1. V 7

Referring more particularly to the drawing's the numeral 1 designates the casing of a vehicle head lamp. Mounted as usual,

within the casing is a reflector 2, and in this instance the axial portion of the reflector.

is provided with a relatively enlarged opening for the reception of a sleeve 3. The sides of this sleeve are provided with horizontal longitudinally extendingqslots at, in which are slidably received the forward end of a U shaped frame member 5.

The inner end of this member is provided with a threaded opening for the reception of a screw 6. The threaded shank of this screw also extends loosely through an opening in the back of the casing 1 and the headed end of the screw is received within a depression 7 provided axially in the outer wall of the casing. A helical spring 8 is situated between the ends of the frame 5 and theinner wall of the casing and serves to maintain the frame member in its various positions of adjustment secured by the actuation of the screw 6. Obviously, by rotating the screw 6 the frame member may be moved back and forth longitudinally so as to control the axial adjustment of an incandescent lamp 9 removably carried by a socket member 10. This member is provided with the usual bayonet slots 11 for the reception of the pin or pins 12 carried by the base portion of the lamp 9. The socket member 10 is provided intermediately of its length with horizontally. disposed trunnions 13, which are receivable within registering openings provided in the forward end of the frame member 5. It will be seen, therefore, that by the rotation of the screw the frame member may be moved longitudinally or axially of the casing. Since the socket member 10 is carried by the frame member the lamp 9 will be correspondingly adjusted so as to bring its filament or filaments into a desired focal relationship with the-reflector 2.

In addition to this longitudinal adjustment, it. is also desirable to adjust the lamp in a plane perpendicular to that secured by the principal adjustment. This compound adjustment of the lamp materially improves the focal relationship between the lamp filaments and the reflector as compared with the single longitudinal adjustment, which has heretofore been provided in lamps of this character. The compound adjustment is particularly useful when bulbs of the so called double filament type are employed, and wherein it is necessary that one of such elements be positioned to one side or the other of the principal axis of the reflector.

The present invention consists in the provision of an improved structure for securing this compound adjustment, and the construction resides in forming the socket member 10 to include a pair of transversely spaced rearwardly extending ears 14, to the outer ends of which is pivoted, as at 15, the upper end of a vertically disposed strap 16. The bottom portion of this strap is formed to receive an eccentric 17, which is formed to rotate with but slidably receive the shank of a longitudinally extending rod 18. The eccentric 17 is confined between upper and lower shoulders 17 formed with the strap 16, thereby it will be seen that. upon the rotation of the eccentric 17 and due to the shoulder 17 a vertical movement will be imparted to the strap 16. Also, the shank portion of the rod is rotatably mounted within openings provided in a bracket 19, which depends rigidly from the frame member 5, said bracket being provided with a U shaped lower portion 20 in which the lower portion of the strap 16 is received and the eccentric 17. The forward portion of the rod 18 is provided with flattened sides as at 21. This construction permits the rod to rotate the eccentric, but allows for the longitudinal adjustment of the frame member 5, the bracket 19 and the eccentric 17 without corresponding adjustment on the part of the rod.

The rod 18 extends parallel with and immediately below the frame member and the outer end of said rod is headed as at 22, and is received within a depression 23 provided in the back of the casing 1. On the rod there is located a washer 24-, held by a pin 25. and av spring 26 surrounds this portion of the rod and is confined between the inner wall of the casing 1 and the washer 24, exerting sufficient frictional pressure of the latter so as to retain the rod normally against axial rotation.

In operation, it will be seen that by adjusting the screw 6 the frame member 5 may travel longitudinally, carrying with it the socket 10 and the associated lamp 9. This provides for the focal adjustment of the lamp 9 in a horizontal plane. Then. to adjust the lamp in a vertical plane the rod 18 is rotated so as to. revolve the eccentric 17. This results in vertical travel of the part of the strap 16, and since the latter is pivotally connected with the socket member 10. it follows that the latter will revolve about the horizontal axis defined by the trunnions 13. enabling the lamp to be adjusted, if desired, to assume the dotted line position disclosed in Figure 1. Current conveying leads 21 are connected as usual with the socket member 10. and extend exteriorly of the lamp to a suitable point of current supply. The construction has the advantage of being simple and sturdy and not likely to become out of order and to lose its various positions of adjustment. The adjustments can be effected from points exterior of the lamp casing, avoiding the necessity of dismantling the lamp parts in order to effect the desired control.

\Vhile I have described what I consider to be the preferred form of the present inven tion, never-the-lcss, it will be understood that various changes may be made therein as practice may dictate without departint from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vehicle head lamp, a casing, a retlector mounted within said casing and provided with an axially disposed sleeve, a frame extending longitudinally of said cars-- ing between said reflector and the back of the casing, the forward portion of said frame being slidably supported in conncc' tion with said sleeve, a screw loosely mounted for rotation in the rear of said casing and having threaded engagement with the rear portion of said frame, sj'iring means engaging said frame for maintaining the adjusted positions thereof secured by the rotation of said screw, a lamp receiving socket member, trunnions mounted in connection with said socket member and having engagement with the forward portion of said frame, in order that said socket member may move bodily with said frame and yet swing perpendicularly thereto, a bracket depending from said frame, a shaft journaled in connection with said casing and extending parallel with said frame, said shaft being loosely rotatable in said bracket, an eccentric mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith but movable longitudinally in unison with said frame, and a connection between said eccentric and said socket member, serving upon the rotation of said eccentric to oscillate said socket member about its trunnion connection with said frame.

2. In a. vehicle head light, a. casing, a reflector mounted within said casing and provided with an axially disposed rcarwardly extending tube, a longitudinally extending frame provided in said casing to the rear of said reflector, the forward end of said frame being slidably supported by said tube, the rear end of said frame being provided with a threaded opening, an adjusting screw ro tatably carried by said casing and engaged with said opening so that upon the rotation of said screw said frame will be adjusted longitudinally. a lamp bulb receiving socket member pivotally carried by the forward end of said frame and adjustable longitudinally in unison therewith. said socket member including a rearwardly extending car, an eccentric rotatably supported in connection with said frame, a strap connected between said eccentric and the ear of said socket member to effect oscillation of the latter upon the rotation of said eccentric, and

fit)

means for rotating said eccentric throughout all positions of adjustment of said frame.

3. In a vehicle head lamp, a casing, a reflector mounted within said casing and provided with an axially and rearwardly extending sleeve, said sleeve being provided vith longitudinal slots, a U shaped vframe member arranged within said casing between said reflector and the back wall of the easing, the forward ends of said frame being slidably received within the slots of said sleeve, and the rear end of said frame being provided *ith a threaded opening, an exteriorly accesible screw having the threaded shank portion thereof received within said opening in order to move said frame longitudinally upon the rotation of the screw, spring means surrounding said screw and bearing upon said frame to retain the latter in its longitudinal positions of adjustment, a socket member adapted for the removable reception of a lamp bulb, trunnion connections between said socket member and said frame admitting of movement on the part of said socket member longitudinally in unison with said frame and of the swinging of said socket member in a perpendicular plane, a journaling bracket depending from said frame, a shaft rotatably and slidably mounted in said bracket, an eccentric rotatably but slidably mounted upon said shaft and adapted to move in unison with said bracket, connections between said eccentric and said socket member to effect movement of the latter in said perpendicular plane upon the rotation of said shaft. an actuating head for said shaft ac-' cessible from the exterior of said casing, and spring means cooperativewithsaid shaft to retain the latter in adjusted positions.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

onmsrnm JORDING. 

